The Far Pavilions - Mary Margaret Kaye [284]
‘Besides,’ said Kaka-ji, lowering his voice and returning to his original argument, ‘what good can you do by speaking to Anjuli-Bai? There is no way in which she can help us, and to tell her what the Rana has said would only be an unkindness, there being no way out for her or for Shu-shu.’
‘All the same, I must see her,’ said Ash implacably. ‘She has a right to know how things stand. A right to be warned beforehand, in case…’
He hesitated, and Mulraj finished the sentence for him: ‘In case the Rana refuses to wed her. Yes, I think you are right, Sahib.’
‘No,’ said Kaka-ji unhappily. ‘It is not wise or proper that you should do so; and I cannot think that it is necessary. But as I see that you are both against me in this, I will tell her myself. Will that content you?’
Ash shook his head. ‘No, Rao-Sahib, it will not. I must speak to her myself. It is not that I do not trust you, but there are things that I wish to say that you could not. But only you can arrange it.’
‘Nay, Sahib. It is impossible. I cannot… It would become known. It would be too difficult…’
‘Nevertheless you will do it for my sake. Because I ask it of you as a great favour. And because, or so I have heard, you and her grandfather, Sergei, were friends, and you knew her mother, who -’
Kaka-ji checked him with an uplifted hand: ‘Enough, Sahib. You heard aright. I admired her grandfather the Russian very greatly when I was young. A strange man – a magnificent man – we feared him for his rages as much as we loved him for his laughter; and he laughed often. I have heard that even when he lay dying, he laughed and was not afraid…’
Kaka-ji sighed and was silent for a moment or two. And presently he said: ‘Very well, Sahib, I will do what I can. But only on one condition. I myself must be present.’
Nothing that Ash could say would make him give way on that point. The old man was convinced that if it should come to the ears of the Rana and his council that Anjuli-Bai had talked alone with a young man who was unrelated to her, they might use it as an excuse to send her back from Bhithor in disgrace -and in all probability portionless as well. They were quite capable of impounding her dowry as ‘compensation’ for the loss of a bride, and the fact that the young man in question happened to be a Sahib whom the Government had placed in overall charge of the camp and empowered to negotiate the marriage settlements would be neither here nor there. The only factor of importance would be his sex, and a scandal would merely strengthen the Rana's hand and stiffen his attitude on the question of Shushila's bride-price.
‘You have nothing to fear,’ promised Kaka-ji. ‘No word of what passes between you will ever be spoken afterwards by me: I will promise you that. But if by some evil chance news of it were to leak out, my niece must be safeguarded. I must be able to say that I, her uncle – brother to her father who was lately Maharajah of Karidkote – was present throughout. If you cannot agree to that, then I for my part cannot help you.’
Ash looked at him long and thoughtfully, recalling certain rumours he had heard about him, ‘old, forgotten, far-off things’ that might or might not be true. If they were… But there was obviously nothing to be gained by arguing with him now. Kaka-ji had meant what he said and would not go back on it; and as it was going to be impossible to have any speech with Juli without his help, there was nothing for it but to accept his terms. At least he could be trusted to keep his word and hold his tongue.
‘I agree,’ said Ash.
‘Good. Then I will see what can be arranged. But I can make no promises on behalf of my niece. It may be that she may not wish to see you, and if that is so, I can do nothing.’
‘You can try to persuade her,’ said Ash. ‘You can tell her… No. Just say that it is necessary, and that I would not have asked it of her – or of you – had it not been.’
Kaka-ji had arranged it. The meeting was to take place in his tent at one